Corpus Christi accelerates industrial reuse and desal projects amid temporary drought relief

Corpus Christi accelerates industrial reuse and desal projects amid temporary drought reliefDespite recent rains pushing the city's Level 1 water emergency trigger to September 2027, Corpus Christi Water is advancing a 10 MGD reuse pipeline and finalizing a letter of intent for a 14 MGD private desalination partnership.

A guaranteed maximum price for a critical 10 MGD wastewater conveyance line from the Oso to Greenwood treatment plants is expected by June 30, unlocking 8 MGD of reuse capacity for Valero.

The city plans to sign a letter of intent with Aqua-Tech for a 25-year water purchase agreement, scaling up to 14 MGD from an existing desalination facility at CC Polymers.

Flint Hills is ahead of schedule to begin taking up to 3 MGD of treated effluent from the Allison Treatment Plant by early fall.

Corpus Christi has asked the Texas Water Development Board to restructure its SWIFT loan commitment for the Inner Harbor desalination project.

Recent rainfall across South Texas has provided Corpus Christi with a critical buffer in its ongoing water supply crisis, but city officials are using the reprieve to accelerate a sweeping portfolio of industrial wastewater reuse and seawater desalination projects. During a June 23 meeting, Corpus Christi Water Chief Operating Officer Nick Winkleman reported that beneficial rains in May and June have pushed the projected date for a Level 1 water emergency back nine months, from December 2026 to September 2027. However, the combined capacity of the city's western reservoirs—Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon—remains at just 15%. To decouple the city's water security from vulnerable surface water, Corpus Christi is advancing agreements to redirect 16 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater effluent to industrial users, effectively offsetting potable water demand. A centerpiece of this strategy is a new conveyance line that will transport 10 MGD of treated effluent from the Oso Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Greenwood facility. The city has awarded a construction manager at risk (CMAR) contract to Raytek, which is coordinating with design engineer Ardura. A guaranteed maximum price for the pipeline is expected to go before the City Council for approval on June 30. Completion of this line is critical to fulfilling an 8 MGD reuse contract with Valero. Simultaneously, Flint Hills is preparing to take up to 3 MGD of treated effluent from the Allison Treatment Plant. Winkleman noted that Flint Hills is ahead of schedule and could begin drawing 1 MGD by late summer or early fall. On the desalination front, the city is negotiating a 25-year agreement with Aqua-Tech to utilize an existing seawater desalination plant at the CC Polymers facility. The city expects to sign a non-binding letter of intent this week. Under the proposed structure, Aqua-Tech will establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) over the next six months. Following the SPV's formation and contract approval, Aqua-Tech estimates a 12-month buildout to deliver 9.4 MGD to the city's distribution system. Capacity would increase to 12.5 MGD six months later, eventually scaling to 14 MGD. Progress is also continuing on two other major desalination initiatives. For the city's Inner Harbor project, a request was submitted to the Texas Water Development Board on June 18 to restructure the city's SWIFT low-interest loan commitment. The project was recently deemed feasible by the Bureau of Reclamation, and the city is preparing a federal grant application due August 26. Meanwhile, the Nueces River Authority's Harbor Island seawater desalination project—where Corpus Christi has reserved 50 MGD of capacity—secured its intake permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) earlier this month. A discharge permit is expected later this year, and design engineer LAN is currently mapping the northern conveyance alignment that will connect to the city's infrastructure. In addition to the major supply projects, the City Council advanced several routine water infrastructure contracts during the meeting, including a $1.49 million construction contract to Max Underground Construction for a 16-inch water main extension, and a $1.06 million supply agreement with Core & Main for water system pipe.